Egyptian Premier League Match Preview: Zamalek vs Al Ahly Team News, Injuries and Predicted Lineups
Al Ahly are destined to win this season’s Egypt Premier League for the 4th time in a row but they face a difficult game against Zamalek in Cairo derby on Saturday evening.
The Red Devils defeated Aswan 3-0 last Monday to move a step closer towards the title, thanks to goals from Geraldo, Walid Soliman, and Aliou Badji who is gradually understanding Weiler’s system after joining back in January.
Third placed Zamalek trail their rivals 17 points and drew goalless against Masr last Tuesday before they face Ahly. Patrice Carteron has been magic for Zamalek in continental campaign, winning this year’s CAF Super Cup and eliminating Esperance to reach the semifinals of the Champions League.
However, the French’s magic has not reflected in the league (though not completely a bad season in the Egyptian Premier League), picking only two wins in Zamalek’s last five games whiles Ahly has recorded three victories and the best opposition, Arab Contractors, have reaped four wins in the last five league games.
Ahly boss Rene Weiler has been linked with a move to Pyramids with Zamalek rowing to spark the Swiss departure from the 8-time CAF Champions League winners when Carteron comes better off Weiler.
In Al Ahly’s dominant victory over Aswan, Ahmed El-Sheikh and Mahmoud Metwally sustained injuries and are set to miss the game against Zamalek- which kick start some hours to come.
Weiler has named his 20-man squad ahead of the Zamalek clash which notable absentees include not only El-Sheikh and Metwally but key figures Ramadan Sobhi, Mahmoud Kahraba, and Hussein El-Shahat may miss tonight’s clash.
Meanwhile, there is a major boost from the injury list where the squad saw return of both Yasser Ibrahim and Ramy Rabiaa and youngster Arabi Badr has been included in Weilers’s squad for the second consecutive week.
Zamalek missed the chance to strengthen its hold on second place after they could only draw 0-0 with bottom-placed Masr in on Tuesday at the Cairo Military Academy Stadium in Cairo.
Carteron’s side are expected to end Ahly’s unbeaten run and hopes of bouncing back to the second place before last Tuesday, thus when they beat Ahly today.
Zamalek Predicted XI: Mahmoud Gennesh, Ahmed Eid, Yassine Marei, Mohamed Abdel-Ghani, Fejani Sassi, Ahmed Sayed, Youssef Ibrahim, Achraf Bencharki, Abdallah Gomaa, Osama Faisal, Mohamed Ounajem
Al Ahly Predicted XI: Mohamed El-Shennawy, Ahmed Fathi, Mahmoud Wahid, Ayman Ashraf, Ali Maaloul, Aliou Dieng, Hamdi Fathi, Walid Soliman, Mohamed Magdy Afsha, Geraldo, Junior Ajayi.
Connect with Futball Surgery
